Delta gets jail for ice, theft and street begging

Ross Irby
Reporter
Reporter Ross Irby has wander-lust mixed with a sense of adventure, spending way too many years roaming about Australia, its back roads and off-shore foreign lands.
Enjoys a yarn, story telling and tales, along with curiosity to find out about the lives and (mis)adventures of others.
An off-beat sense of humour, not taking it all too seriously, along with big doses of flexibility/adaptability whatever the situation is the best way to go.
You have to have the life experiences to have empathy...

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'GRACIE' Delta is a well-known Gladstone lady who was seen a few times near the KFC drive-through, begging for money from customers.

She won't be spotted too soon at the newly revamped KFC though; the 40-year-old has been sentenced to some jail time on drug, theft, begging and bail charges and probation breaches.

Gracelyn Delta pleaded guilty to 40 offences when she was brought in custody before Gladstone Magistrates Court on Friday, arrested by police after a no-show at court the day before.

The offences include possession of methylamphetamine (ice), cannabis, stealing, six counts of fraud, six attempted fraud, four counts of begging, trespass, and over a dozen bail breaches.

Magistrate Jason Schubert sentenced Delta to four months jail but ordered her release after 10 days, with the remainder of the sentence suspended for 12 months as a deterrent to further offending.

Her latest offending brought her in breach of a Probation Order previously imposed for begging and other matters, including the theft of a Fire and Rescue donation tin where she used its $150 to buy drugs.

Prosecutor Sgt Barry Stevens said the begging was at the very low end of her offending but that Delta had been caught with a small quantity of ice and cannabis.

He said Delta broke court-ordered home curfew hours.

Police facts state Delta was caught in Toolooa on January 27 with the drug ice in a clip-seal bag.

In another incident, cannabis and Clonazepam pills were in her bra when she was arrested while hiding in a house last year.

Delta had also been charged with begging offences at KFC and a nearby Irish pub where police were told she "attends on a regular basis and asks everyone for money".

When arrested for begging on Goondoon St, Delta told police she was asking people for food because she spent all her money on clothes and new shoes.

Defence lawyer Jun Pepito said Delta had disengaged from mental health services at the time of a lot of her offending and not been complying with medication.

She was also using drugs and as a result had hallucinations, at times hearing voices in her head.

Mr Schubert said the case had been delayed for mental health assessment that confirmed her matters could proceed by law; however, Delta had continued to use illicit drugs.

He criticised her street begging, saying that this affected the enjoyment of people going out to enjoy themselves or shopping.